How Secure is Password Managing Software Like Dashlane?

Any individual or company who wants to follow best security practices understands how important it is to make sure any passwords used are strong and hard to break. In addition to that, people try to utilize two-factor authentication whenever possible and are starting to stray away from sites that don’t offer this. However, as people are taking their passwords more and more seriously, it’s getting more difficult to remember all those passwords.

Password managing software, like Dashlane, has helped to find a solution to the “forgot my password” problem. At first, many people are skeptical about using it, and we don’t blame them. With all your passwords stored in one location, doesn’t that make it riskier?

If you’re considering using a password managing software, it’s good to know what you’re getting yourself into. So, here are some basic facts and how we feel you should move forward.

How Do Password Managers Work?

Websites like Dashlane have a variety of different features that keep it secure. First of all, your master password doesn’t get stored on the servers. That master password is the only key to your closet of passwords. Beyond that, each individual password you have on there is encrypted, so if a hacker really wanted to know your information, they’d have to decode each one separately – and that would take a really long time. Therefore, there’s no possible way for all of the passwords you have stored to be decoded – at least, not all at once.

Additionally, companies like Dashlane use some of the most reliable servers, such as AWS, which scatters data in a lot of different places. This means that if you were to visualize where your passwords are sitting in cyberspace, they aren’t in a room that’s labeled “John’s Passwords.” They are split up with other users’ information, too.

Lastly, these companies are generally working with cybersecurity providers on a constant basis so that security is consistently being audited.

How Can I Be Absolutely Sure My Master Password is Safe?

Unlike other websites, your master password for a site like Dashlane is unique. As mentioned before, it’s not stored on their servers. There are no password hints given, and once you create a master password, it can’t be reset if you forget it. This is to keep tricky hackers out there from easily resetting your password so they can then have access to everything else. Of course, these password managers also ask you to create a very secure password using a combination of letters, numbers, symbols, etc. – and, generally, won’t approve your account until the password is strong enough.

Is it Worth It?

There are a lot of proactive individuals and companies needing to utilize password managing software but are worried that the consequences of a hack are much worse than if just one password happened to be revealed. That being said, it seems as though that these managers are doing everything in their power to keep your information as secure as possible.

Does that mean it could still get hacked? Well, these days, it’s not impossible. But, it seems very, very unlikely.

If you’re still hesitant, one of the best ways to keep your passwords safe is the old – fashioned way; in a notebook, locked in a safe. Still, it’s also important to practice safe password protocol, and if you do use a notebook, make sure absolutely nobody untrustworthy has access to it!

There’s no clear answer about how secure password managing software is, so, at the end of the day, it’s up to your discretion. And, best security practices are constantly changing, so just make sure you stay up to date.